Perfect Enemy
by Meredith Trainor
Summary: A ClarissaxJacky one-shot set during In the Belly of the Bloodhound. This story goes great with the song "Perfect Enemy" by t.A.T.u. One night, Jacky wakes from the usual nightmares to something very unusual--she's not the only one awake.


**Perfect Enemy: A Jacky/Clarissa fanfic**

Author's Note: Okay, so I finally found a link for Bloody Jack fanfic (SQUEE!) but then there was no JackyxClarissa slash! Criminal! So I decided to fix that ASAP. Let me know if you like it. And by the way, this is a songfic from "Perfect Enemy" by t.A.T.u, and is set in InBotB (Bloodhound). Spoilers abound!

* * *

((Beginning with Jacky's POV))

It had been a long night. I'd been tossing and turning like a ship in a hurricane, and God forbid we run into one of those. My mind kept returning to the horrible places it always goes whenever I get too scared and nervous—the noose, the Battle of Trafalgar, the upper room of the Reverend's room back in Boston—anyways, I knew I wasn't going to be able to sleep. So I stood up and looked around, as best I could in the stream of moonlight from the deck, to see if anything unusual could be observed. Nothing was happening. Of course, I knew I should be thankful for an undisturbed evening, but—

Wait, what was that noise? I heard something like a rustling sound, and silenced my breathing to listen more closely. There it was again, and this time I also perceived the footsteps, too light to be a crew member, coming from the Pit. Curious as always, I approached the side of the Stage and swung my legs over. Of course I couldn't see anything, now that I was looking away from the light. So I boldly dropped down into the blackness, in the direction the sound had come from, and whispered, "Psst!" No response. I tried again, "Hey!" And now, not even the footsteps were heard. Then, a slight rustling noise, and—

A hand flew over my eyes, and another arm about my neck. Whoever it was, they were behind me, and I shot a kick where the groin would be. The odd thing was, there was no grunt of pain, not even a tensing of the muscle. Because my attacker was a woman.

Then there was the laughter. A low, close-mouthed laugh that was so gleeful I could practically see her smirk. And I knew.

"It's nice to see you, too, Clarissa."

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((Now for Clarissa's POV))

Of course I'd heard Jacky get up. She's like an elephant, with absolutely no grace, no carriage, and so I heard her drop down into the Pit. I'm surprised the sound didn't wake the other girls! And then, it was only too easy to have a bit of fun with her. When I slipped my arm about her neck, I felt her pulse accelerate, and I couldn't help but laugh when she kicked me. Honestly, who was she expecting, Nettles? But I do admit I was surprised she knew 'twas me, for I'd been quite careful not to speak, and of course she couldn't see me in total darkness. I couldn't even see her, now that I stood behind her. So I had to think fast.

"Good evening, Miss Faber…" I purred, knowing she wouldn't miss the malice in my voice.

"Why are you still awake? You should be asleep, not pacing around in the Pit like this." That infuriated me. Why should she tell me what to do?

_Why should I welcome/ your domination?_

"I was thinking, and if you must know, it's nice to have a bit of privacy sometimes." I whispered into her ear, almost seductively. I couldn't help it; she was being too tense, too stoic. My natural impulse was to soften the voice, and draw her out.

"Hmph. So that's why you're holding me hostage like this?"

_Why should I listen/ to explanations?_

"But of course not! Why hold _you_ hostage, deah Jacky? Who on earth would pay to get you back?" Still the velvet tone, and she did not break.

She growled at me, and I laughed again. But it was all make-believe. There was really a war going on here.

"So why were you up, Madame Drill Sergeant?"

I'd cornered her finally, and it was a long pause before she answered.

"It's a long story."

_I'm not pretending/ to keep it simple._

I only tightened my grip, turning her head and taking my hand from her eyes.

"I've got time. Try me."

_Try to be something/Experimental_.

And she began, drawing in a deep breath of surrender.

"I couldn't sleep either. Every time I tried, it was nightmares in flashes of lightning. Vivid memories of the most horrible, most horrific experiences of my life." She paused, and said, "I don't want to tell you, and risk ruining the serenity of your mind." And I knew she wasn't joking, for once. She was practically trembling. But I didn't care.

_You don't turn me off/ I will never fail._

"Tell me everything. Maybe it will make you feel better." That last phrase just slipped out, I didn't mean to convey sympathy. Well, there goes my pride.

_Things I loved before/ Are now for sale._

She began to open up, and told me about the gallows, with their creaking stair, and short drop; about the Battle, with its bloodstained decks, and the cannonballs everywhere, so that the man next to her was gone in the blink of an eye; and then she launched into a scene much closer to home.

"And when I'm just about to reach safety, there are those kidnappers, Beadle and Strunk, tying me up so tight I can scarce breathe! And then in a flash I'm in the Reverend's upper room, and he's got me arms and legs tied to the bedposts, and he's screaming, "Witch! Demon!" and he's about to cut into me…" And she gasped for breath, and spun around to face me. My arm dropped from her shoulder and she caught up my hand.

"And then everything is on fire, and I wake up, and I feel as if I'm on fire, too. And I want to run away, but there's nowhere to run, and it'll find me…" And all of a sudden, she seems to realize who she's talking to, and the voice that was just now scared and open, quickly turns callous and cold. "I shouldn't have told you all of that."

_Keep yourself away/ far away from me_

I was dumbfounded. "Jacky," I began, my voice suddenly high and begging. "Jacky, listen to me. I don't mind, hearing these things. Did it hurt terribly to tell them?"

She was quiet for a long time, and then, in one brusque movement, shoved me away. I fell back, and gasped.

"Don't think this changes anything between us, Clarissa."

_I'll forever stay/ Your Perfect Enemy_

_

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_

((Now for Jacky's POV))

I left her there, on the floor of the Pit, and walked away. About two steps away. Then she attacked me. A very angry aristocrat tackled me to the floor, and I lost my breath. There, on my back, she brought me to my senses. We were both breathing heavily, and I felt her pinning down my shoulders, a curl of her hair on my neck. I shivered involuntarily.

_No longer waiting/ Remove illusions_

I should've seen this coming. She was in total control. Damn! I thought. She's going to bite my head off. But instead, all she did was ask one short question.

"Why do you hate me, Jacky?"

_No more complaining/ Forget confusions_

How could I begin to explain it? So I lied.

"I don't." She didn't buy it.

"Liar," she snarled.

_No more compassion/ Not sentimental_

She was distracted, confused; so I took my chance. I pushed her off of me, rolling her onto her back, and pinned her down. Now who's in control, Your Ladyship? I thought to myself smugly. I heard her softly gasp as she hit the floor. I was a little more rough than I'd intended.

"I don't hate you," I began quietly. She gave a slight "gah" of disbelief, and I cut her off. "All right, maybe that's a lie. I do hate you. But I have a very good reason." She was quiet now, waiting for it. No doubt she was thinking I'd say 'You made my life miserable last year, you own slaves, you're a horrible girl and that's why I hate you!' But it never occurred to me to say those things. Instead, I told Clarissa the truth for once.

"I hate you because I'm in love with you."

And with that, I kissed her full on the lips, and stood up and walked away.

_I am now something/ Experimental_


End file.
